product manage to ceo
TRANSCRIPT
From Product Manager to CEO
By Aziz Musa
August 2013
@azizmusa#PM2CEO
• So what’s the problem?
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From Strategic to Tactical
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Small tasks
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“If you’re a conveyor belt, you’re adding no value.”
Liam’s perceived
work allocation
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Liam’s actual work allocation
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“Tactical Product Directors breed tactical Product Managers”
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“Product management IS a Strategic role in the organization”
“It’s a challenge, very few people will be successful product managers”
“Your destination is here”
“Study the territory first hand – both dealers and consumers – in order to find out the
trouble” N. H. McElroy May 13th 1931
• Diagram
3 circles
• Diagram
www.mindtheproduct.com
3 circles
• Diagram
Customer
Manufacturing
Marketing
Strategic Vs. Tactical Product Mgmt
STRATEGIC
TACTICAL
Pu
re P
rod
uct
Man
agem
ent
PR
OD
UC
T M
AN
AG
EMEN
T TO
DA
Y
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Grunt workTactical Product Managers are expert dung rollers
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The best product managers can be everything to everyone
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John Wheeler, Product Director, McKinsey
3 circles
• DiagramMarket Research
Customer ServicesSales
Usability
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Ideaville
Reality Central
“Effective leadership is not about making speeches or being liked; leadership is defined by results not attributes.” Peter Drucker
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“My job as a leader is to make sure everybody in the company has great opportunities, and that they feel they're having a meaningful impact” Larry Page
“As we look ahead into the next century, leaders will be those who empower others” Bill Gates
“I suppose leadership at one time meant muscles; but today it means getting along with people.” Mahatma Gandhi
“I attract a crowd, not because I'm an extrovert or I'm over the top or I'm oozing with charisma. It's because I care.” Gary Vaynerchuk
The 5 traits of super successful product managers
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“Every month I listen to my people. Listening to
the river is key” Allen Leighton
“We built [the Mac] for ourselves. We were the group of people who were going to judge whether it was great or not. We weren’t going to go out and do market research.” Steve Jobs
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Know thy recruiter!
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Only hire people you’re genuinely EXCITED to
work with
Only hire people you would have as friends@azizmusa
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Task: Find a Head of Conversion
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4 Recruiters I know and Love
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155 CVs
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92 telephone interviews
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50 first Round Interviews
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3 Final Interviews
It took 9 months to find…
1 Harminder Matharu
Know your market better than anyone!
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“I find television very educating. Every time somebody turns on the set, I go into the other room and read a book.” Groucho Marx
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A cautionary note on competitive analysis
Competitive analysis is a contact sport
You should be able to feel the end state
“The object of oratory alone in not truth, but persuasion.” Thomas B. Macaulay @azizmusa
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Achieve consensus and don’t go out on a limb
“What’s dangerous is not to evolve” Jeff Bezos
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STRATEGIC
TACTICAL
STA
Y H
ERE!
!
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@azizmusa#PM2CEO
5 Essential Attributes of
Successful
CEOs
Having a Vision
Macro Management
Strong Team
Customers is Core
Industry Trends
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STRATEGIC
TACTICAL
STA
Y H
ERE!
!
“Your destination is here”
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